Pressing machine and element



Nov. 26, 1935.

G. s. BALDWIN 2,022,176

PRESSING MACHINE AND ELEMENT Filed Jan. 4, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E FIG ' INVENTOR GEORGE S. BALDWIN Nov. 26, 1935. G. s. BALDWIN 2,022,176

PRESSING MACHINE AND ELEMENT Filed Jan. 4, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 77 FlG.-4 44 I0 flk H FIG: 6

INVENTOR GEORGE S. BALDWIN 540.25%, 2, 2 W/ZM A ORNEY mama Nov. 26, 1935 UNITED STATES rnnssnv'o moms AND ELEMENT George s. Baldwin, ClevelandHeights, Ohio, aa signor to The American Laundry Machinery Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a

Ohio

corporation of Application January 4, 1934, Serial Nu. 705,225

10 Claims.

This invention relates to a pressing machine and particularly one involving-a pressing element which is expansible by fluid pressure.

An object of the invention is to provide means for creating a flow of air through the cover of an expansible element by the use 01 the fluid exhausted from the element.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for creating such a current flow through a pressing element eitheroutwardly or inwardly through the cover.

Another object of the invention is to provide appropriate control means in a pressing machine embodying my improved expansible v element whereby the element may be] suitably .operated when incorporated in a pressing machine.

--- Further objects and advantages of. my improved pressing element will be understood by those skilled in the art from the accompanying specification together with the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a pressing machine embodying the novel pressing element with certain portions of the control mechanism in section to more clearly indicate the structure involved;

Figs. 2 and 3 are partial views along similarly numbered lines of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an enlarged view partly in section of the pressing element of Fig. 1 with the element in its pressing position;

' Fig. 5, is a view similar to Fig. 4 of a modified form so of the pressing element; while Fig. 6 is a detail view partly in section of a modification of the pressing element shown in Fig. 4. Y My invention comprises in general a fixed pfessing head and a pressing b'ed expansible by fluid pressure and movable into and out of regisatration with the head. These pressing elements are embodied in a machine provided with a fluid piston motor for moving the bed into and out of registration and with automatic control means for the supply and exhaust of fluid pressure to and from the expansible element whereby the said element is moved .into and out of pressure engagement with the head. 'Various devices are illustrated for utilizing the exhaust fluid when the expansible element is deflated in order'to cause a flow of current through the cover of the pressin bed. In Fig. 4 theparts are arranged to create a suction through said cover. In Fig. 5 the fluid exhausted'from the expansible member is passed outwardly through the cover of the pressing bed, while Fig.6 represents a modification wherein at the will of the operator the flow through the bed cover may be easily changed from suction to 55 pressure asdesired. The control mechanism for carryingv out these various operations is so ar-- ranged that the control for deflating the bed, so as to disengage the pressing surfaces, and the control mechanism for moving the bed out of resistration may be actuated'simultaneously. but the mechanism for moving the bed out of registration 5 is arranged so that its efiect is delayed until after the pressing bed has moved out of engagement with the head. 5

My improved pressing element is herewith illustrated as embodied in apressing machine of the general type illustrated, described and claimed in the copending application of George W. Johnson, Serial No. 693,957, filed October 17, 1933, butit will be understood that many or the improved features here disclosed may be utilized in other forms of pressing machines without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The pressing machine illustrated comprises frame members l0 supporting a. fixed pressing head ll and'substantially horizontally disposed 0 rails l2 upon-which a carriage I3 is adapted to move along rollers ll. The carriage supports an expansible pressing bed. l5 and power means is supplied for moving the bed into and-out of registration with the head. The power means illustrated comprises a piston motor it having a piston i1 and piston rod l8 which is connected by link is, cranks 20 and 2| pivoting about shaft 22, and link", which is pivotally connected to the carriage. It will be evident from an inspection of Fig. 1 that the introduction of fluid'pressure behind piston II will move the piston forwardly or to the right as seen in Fig. 1, which in turn will cause the pressing bed to move rearwardly or to the left into registration with the pressing head. The piston motor i6 is mounted in trunnions to permit of this' motion. When fluid pressure is exhausted from the piston motor the bed is returned to its forward position by spring 24 acting throughcrank 25 connected to shaft 22. The link 26 serves to support a large proportion of the weight of the piston motor and. link l9.

v The supply of'fiuid pressure to the piston motor I6 is controlled by a normally closed inlet valve ber 44 to an outlet 55.

I carriage.

the control member I4 is actuated its broken linepositionofl'lg.3theexhaustval1-8isclosed and the inlet valve 21 is opeied, thus admitting fluid pressure to the piston motor for moving the bed toward registering position. on the rear end of shaft 83 is a flanged collar 85 which lies in the broken line position of; P18. 2 when the control member 34 has been actuated. For returning the control valves to their initial position to exhaust the .piston motor the flanged collar 35, and thereby shaft 88, is returned to its full line position of Fig. 2 by means .of an arm 88 pivotally mounted at 31 and moved by a plunger 38 connected with piston: 38 in a release cylinder 40. The piston 88 is actuated by snow of fluid pressure from the supply line. 28 or other suitable source of fluid pressure by way of release valve 4| which is shown mounted in line with valves 28 and 21 and arranged to be actuated by a push rod 42 which in turn is actuated by a finger guard 43 which depends in a freely swingable manner before thepressinghead. This finger guard 48 is in a position'to be moved toward: the rear by the operator's hands-if they should accidentally be lying upon the bed as it moves toward its pressing position. The guard is also used to release the pressingmembers at the close of the pressing operation at the will of the operator.

The pressing bed shown in Fig. 1 is shown in greater detail in Fig. 4. The bed is shown as comprising a base portion 44 mounted on the car- I rlage I! by a pedestal 48 or in any other-suitable manner. A movable portion 46 is connected with the base portion by a continuous flexible strip 41 which permits relative movement in a substantially vertical direction between the portions 44.

and 46 when fluid under pressure is introduced into the space or chamber 48 formed by the operation of these portions. The pressing element illustrated in Fig. 4 comprises a pervious cover 48 mounted upon a spring padding which rests upon a perforated plate 5| which in turn is supported on projections 52 which extend upwardly from the bottom 53' of a drainage chamber 53. Vapor and condensate which is often formed as the result of a pressing operation is thus permitted to drain through the perforated plate into the drainage chamber and a drainage connection 54 leads through the expansible chamber 48 and through the base mem- The parts are so arranged as to permit the expansion of the pressing bedwithout breaking the conduit connection 54. The inlet of fluid pressure to chamber 48 is by way of conduit 58 which communicates with a coupling member 51 associated with the bed A coacting coupling member 58 is mounted on the frame in position to receive the coupling member 51 when the bed moves into registering position. Pressure is then supplied through conduit 59, valve 68 and conduit 6|, which is illustrated as communicating with the source of fluid pressure 28, although other suitable source might be used. Valve ill is arranged to be opened automatically when the bed moves into registering position. The arrangement illustrated comprises a lever 82 pivoted to the frame and engaging the stem of valve 60 at 63 and engaging a portion of the can'iage at the upper end 64 of the lever. In this particular instance the lever engages the stem of a valve 65 whose purpose will be later described and the spring 66 of this latter valve is stronger than the spring 81 associated with valve 60 so aoaai'vo" g that the maybe moved into the position shown in Fig. 4 when-the reaches registering position. The lower end of lever 82 is connected by link 88, bell crank 88 and link I0 with a pin II which engages a slot 12 in the upper end of'link'lo. Pln' II in turn is rigidly Secured to the piston rod II 'of a piston "which reciprocates in a cylinder secured to the frame. A spring, I8 normallybiasesthe piston toward its upward position. The cylinder 15 may convenl0 iently be supplied with actuating pressure from thesame conduit 48' which furnishes the actuating' pressure for cylinder 48.

The exhaust of fluid pressure from the expa'nsible pressing bed is accomplished in the ll following manner:- a

When the parts were moved into the position of Fig. 4 which admits fluid pressure to the expansible pressing bed the link 10 was moved-up ward, which 'raisedthe lower portion of slot I280 substantially into engagement with pin H, At the close of the pressing operation the operator swings finger guard 43 to the ream-which actu- -'ates release valve 4| and admits fluid pressure into conduit 40' thence into cylinder 15, caus- 2'5 ing piston I4 to move downward, whereupon pin l l enga es link 10 and through the connecting parts rotates lever 82 in a clockwise direction, thus closing valve 88 and opening valve 65. The exhaust oi fiuid pressure from chamber 48 then follows through conduit 11, valve 65, conduit I8, and ejector I8. The escape of fluid under his. pressure through the ejector creates a suction through conduit 54, chamber 58 and cover 49, thus creating a current of air inwardly through the work which has been pressed and through the cover. Also, any vapor or condensate in the drainage chamber 53 will thus be' evacuated through conduit 54 and thrown out by the ejector where it may be disposed of in any manner desired.

Upon inspection of Figs. 1 and 2, it will be noted that cylinder 4|! has a small opening 80 at its lower end and another small opening 8! at its upper end, while cylinder I5 has a small opening 455 82 at its upper-end and a large opening 83 at its lower end. Thepurpose of this construction is to permit the operator to actuate both control cylinders simultaneously by movement of the, flnger guard which admits fluid pressure through valve 4| into conduit 48', but to delay the return of the pressing bed to its forward position until the bed has deflated out of pressure engagement with the head. Some such arrangement is neces sary to avoid disturbing the lay of the work after the pressing operation. It will be apparent that the movement of piston 38 upwardly will take place slowly as the pressure in the upper portion of the cylinder is evacuated through opening 8|. At the same time, the action of piston "will take place rapidly as the'opening 83 is insufilcient to impede the movement of this piston in any appreciable degree.

The modification shown in Fig. 5 is similar to that shown in Fig. 4, and so far as the construction is similar the parts are similarly numbered with a prime suflix. It will be noted that partition 84 and chamber 85 are arranged in a slightly different manner, but the other parts are substantially similar except that a conduit 88 communicating with chamber 85 is mounted in a manner to permit sliding movement at a joint 81 where the conduit passes through the wall of the base member 44. The necessary flexibility to permit the expansion of the pressing bed upon introduc- 75 tion of fluid pressure to'charnber 48" is supplied by flexible member 88 which connects the conduit 86 to the exhaust valve 65'.

The operation of the modification shown in Fig. will be easily understood when taken in connection with the explanation of the operation of the form shown in Fig. 4. When the bed moves into pressing position, lever 62' is rotated counterclockwise by the engagement of the stem of valve 65 with the upper end 64' of the lever which opens valve 60 and admits fluid pressure from supply conduit 28' through conduit 6|, 59' and coupling members 58', 51' and conduit 56' to the expansible chamber 48'. Upon completion of the pressing operation the link is moved downwardly in the manner described in connection with Fig. 4 and through the connecting linkage rotates lever 62' in a clockwise direction, thus closing valve 60' and opening valve 65'. The fluid in chamber 48' is then exhausted through conduit 11, valve 65, conduit 86 and chamber 85 through perforated plate 5| and cover 49'.

The fluid used with the modification of Fig. 5 will normally be untreated air but it will be understood that treated air embodying substances which it is desired to blow through the garment after the pressing operation might be used in the expansible chamber and thereafter be exhausted through the cover of the pressing element in the manner just described.

The modification of Fig. 6 adds to the ejector I9 of Fig. 4 a. means of closing the ejector outlet at the will of the operator which in the form shown comprises a conduit 89 and a valve 90. It will be apparent that with the valve 90 open, the functioning of the device will be the same as that described in connection with Fig. 4, but upon closing the valve 90 the exhaust fluid will move in the opposite direction through ejector I9 and pass through conduit 55, conduit 54, chamber 53 and cover 49 in a manner similar to the operation of the modification shown in Fig. 5.

What I claim is:

l. In a press of the class described, the combination of an expansible bed movable into and out of registration with a fixed head, power means for moving said bed, means for the supply and exhaust of fluid under pressure to and from said expansible bed when in registering position to move the pressing surface of said bed toward and away from said head, control mechanism for each of said means, means for simultaneously actuating the control mechanism for said power means in out-of-registration direction and the control mechanism for said fluid supply and exhaust means in exhaust direction, and said mechanisms being so constructed that the control effect on said power means is delayed until after the effect upon said fluid exhaust means.

2. A pressing element comprising a chamber expansible by fluid pressure, a separate pressing face including a pervious cover carried by one wall of said chamber for movement toward a cooperating single element, means for the supply and exhaust of fluid under pressure to and from said chamber, and means for creating a flow of air through said cover by fluid exhausting from said chamber.

3. A pressing element comprising a chamber expansible by fluid pressure, a separate pressing face including a previous cover carried by one wall of said chamber for movement toward a cooperating pressing element, means for the supply and exhaust of fluid under pressure to and from said chamber, and means for creating a suction through said cover by fluid exhausting from said chamber. a

4. A pressing element comprising a chamber expansible by fluid pressure, a separate pressing face including a pervious cover carried by one wall l 'of said chamber for movement toward a cooperating pressing element, means for the supply and exhaust of fluid under pressure to and from said chamber, and means for causing fluid exhausted from said chamber to flow through said cover. 10

5. A pressing element comprising a chamber expansible by fluid pressure, a separate pressing face including a pervious cover carried by one wall of said chamber for movement toward a cooperating pressing element, and means for the supply 16 and exhaust of air under pressure to and from said chamberand for exhausting air from said chamber through said cover.

6. A pressing element comprising a chamber expansible by fluid pressure, a separate pressing 80 face including a pervious cover carried by one wall of said chamber for movement toward a cooperating pressing element, means for the supply and exhaust of air to and from said chamber, and means for alternatively blowing said exhaust air 26 through said cover or for causing a suction through said cover by said exhaust air at the will of the operator.

'7. A pressing element comprising a pressing face having a pervious cover, a drainage chamber 30 communicating therewith for receiving vapor and/or condensate formed during a pressing operation, a second chamber supporting said drainage chamber and pressing face, said second chamber being expansible by fluid pressure to move said pressing face toward a cooperating pressing element, means for the supply and exhaust of fiuid to and from said expansible chamber, and means for evacuating vapor and/or condensate from said drainage chamber by exhaust fluid from said expansible chamber.

8. In a press of the class described, the combination of an expansible bed movable into and out of registration with a fixed head, said bed having an expansion chamber and a pressing face spaced from a wall of said chamber and movable with said wall, said face comprising a pervious cover, power means for moving said bed, means for the supply of fluid under pressure to said expansion chamber when saidbed is in registering position to move the pressing surface of said bed toward said head, a device for causing a flow of air through said cover by the exhaust of said fluid, means for exhausting fluid from said bed, control mechanism for each means, and means for simultaneously actuating all of said mechanism. J

9. In a pressing machine, a pair of coactin relatively movable pressing members, one of said members comprising a chamber expansible by fluid pressure and a pressing surface carried on the outer face of a wall of said chamber, said surface including a pervious cover, means for relatively moving said pressing members into and out of coacting position, means for supplying fluid under pressure-to said chamber when said members are in coacting position whereby to carry said pressing surface into engagement with the coacting member, and means for causing a flow of air. through said cover by fluid exhausting from said chamber.

10. In a pressing machine, a pair of coacting relatively movable pressing members, one of said members comprising a chamber expansible by fluid pressure and a pressing surface carried on 76 the outer face of a wall oi. said chamber, said surface including a pervious cover, means for relatively moving said pressing members into and out 01' coacting position, means for supplying fluid under pressure to said chamber when said members are in coacting position whereby to carry said pressing surface into engagement with the coacting member, exhaust means for said fluid including conduit means for causing a flow of air through said cover by fluid exhausting from said chamber, a normally closed valve in said conduit means, and means for opening said valve upon initiation of movement of said members out 5 o! coacting position.

- GEORGE B. BALDWIN. 

